This invention relates generally to vehicle frame-mountable accessory receiver apparatus. More specifically, it concerns receiver apparatus adapted detachably, securably to mount a wide range of vehicular accessories interchangeably to the front or rear of a vehicle and a method for its manufacture.
Apparatus for mounting accessories to vehicles are well-known. One such apparatus consists of a single elongate tubular receiver dimensioned in cross section to receive therein an elongate mounting projection, or so-called "stinger", of a vehicular accessory, e.g. a `drop` hitch. Such apparatus typically are adapted for mounting to the bumper, or to the frame and adjacent the bumper, of a vehicle by conventional hardware fasteners, e.g. rivets or bolts and nuts. Attempts to integrate the bumper and accessory receiver functions in a single, inseparable structure capable of being mounted on a vehicle's frame and capable of receiving a wide range of accessories have been proposed, but none has proven practical in respect of load-bearing capacity, simplicity of design and facility of use.
Moreover, prior art apparatus are extremely limited in their ability to bear and stabilize substantial loads because they have only one receiver. The provision of more than one receiver, for receiving corresponding stingers of an accessory, would greatly enhance the utility of tubular receiver systems. The tongue and gross capacity of a receiver system having dual, laterally spaced receivers would be double that of a single receiver system. More importantly, a dual receiver system would profoundly diminish the normal tendency of a heavy accessory, e.g. a laden trailer, to undergo lateral and rotational movement analogous to the yaw and roll of an airplane or spacecraft. Yet the production of plural receiver systems is fraught with difficulty, due to the extremely tight dimensional and angular tolerances required for the tight fitting, but universally interchangeable, mounting of vehicular accessories. This difficulty heretofore has not been acknowledged, or, if acknowledged, has not been addressed realistically. Resort to lightweight accessories that can be made by flexing to mate laterally spaced receiver pairs compromises the potentially increased capacity of a plural receiver system and thus is self-defeating. Resort to deliberately and grossly over-sized, dual receivers capable of accommodating a durable accessory inadequately secures the accessory and subjects it to undue vibration and wear.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide integral bumper/receiver apparatus that readily can be mounted to the front or rear frame of a vehicle and that readily and securely can receive therein a wide range of vehicular accessories.
A further object is to provide bumper/receiver apparatus that are durable and capable of bearing substantial vertical and horizontal loads.
Yet another object is to provide such apparatus with means for the easily detachable, lockable securing of an accessory thereto.
It is another object to provide such apparatus, for frame mounting to a vehicle, having no projections outwardly from the vehicle beyond the surface of the bumper.
Still another object is to provide such apparatus with an aesthetically pleasing appearance, so as to enhance, rather than detract from, the appearance of the vehicle to which it is mounted.
Another object of the invention is to provide such apparatus in easily manufactured form, having a minimal number of separable parts and attendant fastener hardware.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide such apparatus cost-effectively.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from a consideration of the accompanying drawings and description of the preferred embodiment.